Lawrence W. "Barney" Kirchoff Obituary (1918 - 2016)

Barney Kirchoff, age 97 died peacefully January 5, 2016 at the Neighbors of Dunn County in Menomonie, WI. He was born March 22, 1918 to Dietrich (Dick) and Ada (Hogberg) Kirchhoff in Waverly, Iowa. He was one of 10 children and was blessed to spend his early childhood growing up on a farm in rural Eau Claire. He was employed as a cook at the Eau Claire Café on Barstow Street. Barney enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1940 and served our country during World War II. Staff Sergeant Kirchoff was a member of “The Red Arrow Brigade Company B, 138th Infantry, 32nd Division.” This division was the first sent overseas after the U.S. officially entered into war and fought throughout the Papuan and New Guinea Campaigns with the capture of Gona and Buna. Of those 100 men, only 8 survived. He-received the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon, the American Defense Ribbon, 2 Bronze Battle Stars and the Good Conduct Ribbon. In 1944 Barney married Georgia Lee Reeves and from that marriage they had a son Jerry. In 1948 he married Margaret Scott in Eau Claire and from that marriage had 3 sons, Denny, Tim and Jeff. He raised his family in Eau Claire and had quite a reputation as an avid athlete and photographer. He took part in baseball, softball and racquetball as well as golf and bowling. After the war he started Kirchoff Photography. When the Wisconsin Women’s Bowling Tournament came to Wagner’s in 1954, Barney began taking team pictures and did that for the next 25 years. On his 80th birthday he bowled a 209 game, came back with a 179 and finished with 212 for a 600 series. In the game of golf he had 3 “hole in ones”. He played a couple years of baseball in the old Cloverbelt League and later as player-manager with the powerful Chippewa Valley Sports Fast Pitch Softball Team. In 1980 he married Shirley Sommervold Beaver in Chetek, WI. They both retired spending their winters in Florida and summers in Colfax. They enjoyed their 33 years together and felt so blessed to have a great family with grandchildren, great grandchildren and so many good friends. Barney is survived by his sons, Jerry (Jane) Nashville, TN, Denny (Kathy) Oakdale, MN, Tim (Joanne) of Barrington, IL, a step daughter, Julie (Mark) Kinney, Menomonie, WI, a step son in law, Tomas Harrell, Elberta, AL, sixteen grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, one brother Verlyn and two sisters, Dorothy McQueen and Arlene (Bob) O’Connell and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his spouses, Georgia Lee, Margaret and Shirley, his son Jeff, a step daughter Susan Harrell, two brothers, Gilbert and Dale (Beverly), two sisters Ardis Crowe, Edna (Norm) Pagenkopf, two half-sisters, Hilda (Clarence) Baker and Violet Beaver, and brother in law Bill McQueen. The family would like to thank the dedicated staff at The Neighbors of Dunn County – Morning Song Villa. A celebration of his life will be held Monday, January 11th at Olson Funeral Home, 615 Wilson Ave, Menomonie, at 11:00 with Pastor Pete Friberg officiating from Spring Lake and Gilman Lutheran Churches. Visitation will be from 10:00 to 11:00 prior to the service. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Menomonie with military honors by Menomonie Veterans Honor Guard. The family requests that memorials be given in memory of Barney to the Alzheimer’s Association.